Top crazy crime stories of 2012

A look at the year's most shocking offbeat crime stories in Canada and beyond. (QMI Agency)

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"Mama Mia, let me go!" belted Robert Wilkinson in the back of a Edson, Alberta, RCMP cruiser. In fact, he passionately sang all of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody after being charged with impaired driving and refusing the Breathalyzer. The RCMP provided him with the video, which he posted to YouTube himself, to the chagrin of his mother.

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If you regularly drive your SUV across the sidewalk to get around pesky school buses, a lot of observers might call you an idiot under their breath. But an Ohio judge wanted Shena Hardin, 32, to face the wrath of the public directly when he forced her wear a sign stating "Only an idiot drives on the sidewalk to avoid a school bus" near the scene of her bad driving. (Screengrab)

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We can't decide what element makes this story more wacky -- the fact that this woman, Ana Gloria Garcia Gutierrez of St. Petersburg, Fla., decided it was a reasonable idea to ride a manatee or the fact that she is in trouble with the law because of it. Gutierrez is facing a misdemeanour charge of violating the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act.

A group of daycare workers in Delaware were accused of running a so-called toddler fight club. A video revealed one of the workers telling a tot, "No pinching. Only punching." Pictured: One of the accused, Lisa Parker, 47. (Dover Police photo)

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Darrell Ackman, who first gained attention as a Girls-Gone-Wild-style cameraman known as Mr. JetzTV, decided to try to run in a Manitoba MLA byelection while facing charges for allegedly recruiting young girls to work in prostitution and pornography. He was later accused of electoral fraud. (QMI Agency files)

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Zhen Yang's Gatineau, Que., convenience store was being robbed, so in the heat of the moment he bear-sprayed -- and spanked -- the thieves, as shown in this odd video. (Screen grab)

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Joe Fontana, the mayor of London, Ont., was charged after an investigation by the London Free Press showed evidence he had paid the deposit for his son's wedding reception with public money when he was a member of parliament. Fontana has vigorously denied the allegations and refuses to step down. But that hasn't stopped angry Londoners from showing up at city hall with sloppy joes.. (MIKE HENSEN/QMI AGENCY)